Thank You, Paul

The news reverberated around the Northwest quickly. Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, owner of the Portland Trailblazers and the Seattle Seahawks, and billionaire philanthropist has lost his battle with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on Monday. He was 65 years old.

His life story is well-known locally in these parts. Helping to found Microsoft at the age of 22 in 1975, leaving the company due to illness in 1983, fighting and defeating cancer twice, investing in sports, investing in space... investing in people.  Paul Allen has left an incredible legacy.

As a Seahawks fan, I am so grateful to Mr. Allen for purchasing the franchise from Ken Behring who was set on moving the team out of town.  I couldn’t imagine what that would have been like.  We still haven’t recovered from losing the Sonics to Oklahoma City ten years ago.  Who would have thought that losing a professional sports franchise, or making the effort to keep one in place could provide such an impact on a city or a region.

His commitment to not only purchase the Seahawks, but to invest in the right people with the right attitude and the right skillset to take the franchise, which was mired in mediocrity for over a decade, and transform them twice. First was their initial Super Bowl run under the regimented and methodical gaze of Mike Holmgren. Next was taking a chance on a 60 year old, people-loving hippie; the gum chewing, always competitive, encouragement machine named Pete Carroll. This change brought back-to-back Super Bowl appearances for the Seahawks and the first Lombardi trophy to the city of Seattle. 

Two diametrically opposed approaches both led to successful, championship-level performances in the same organization.  It reminds me that it is alright for the systems and processes for your business to change. But your commitment to excellence should not. 

At Woodstock Media Group, we’ve learned a lot from that type of commitment. 

That is why we believe that everything we do will help your business grow by harnessing the power of your captive audience.  It is your audience. They deserve more than a mediocre experience when placed on hold.  If you aren’t currently one of our valued clients, perhaps you should try a different, more creative approach to your on-hold advertising messages.

Our creative team writes and produces advertising on hold that not only educates and engages your callers, but entertains them while they wait.  And don’t be surprised if callers asked to be put back on hold to hear the rest of whatever they were listening to.  It happens to us all the time.  Check us out.

Put US on hold. The approach may be different, but the commitment to excellence will never waiver, and you and your callers will benefit from the experience.

We’ve learned a lot from Mr. Allen about how to build a successful business and the importance of helping other people grow theirs. In the article published in USA Today earlier this week, Bill Gates mentioned that Paul Allen was fond of saying, ‘If it has the potential to do good, then we should do it.’

Thanks, Paul. Those are words to live by.

In business and in life.

Tom McTee, Super-Genius
Woodstock Media Group
On-Hold Concepts, Inc.